The present invention relates to the field of adhesives, more specifically, a hot-melt glue stick capable of interlocking with other hot-melt glue sticks.
Hot-melt glues are a category of adhesives which melt and flow when heated. Hot-melt glues are commonly delivered in the form of glue sticks and are applied using hot-melt glue guns.
A hot-melt glue gun is a device that has a hand grip, a ‘barrel’, a ‘trigger’, a heating element, and an extruding tip. The heating element causes the extruding tip to get hot. Two temperatures are generally available for hot-melt glues and hot-melt glue guns. Low temperature glue guns operate at a temperature of approximately 120° C. (248° F.) and are useful for delicate work where higher temperatures may cause damage. High temperature glue guns operate at a temperature of approximately 190-210° C. (374-410° F.). The glues used with high-temperature guns generally form a stronger bond. The operating temperature of the hot-melt glue gun must match the melting temperature of the hot-melt glue stick. Some hot-melt glue guns are capable of operating at either high or low temperature and can therefore accept either high-temperature or low-temperature glue sticks.
The barrel of the hot-melt glue gun accepts a hot-melt glue stick inserted into an operator end of the barrel. The barrel provides a path for the hot-melt glue stick to move forward to reach the heated extruding tip. The trigger is part of a mechanism that ratchets the glue stick forward through the barrel. Each squeeze of the trigger causes a mechanism within the glue gun to drag against a side of the glue stick and pull it forward in the barrel. After repeated squeezes of the trigger, the glue stick will move forward to the point where the front of the glue stick is pressing against the inside of the heated extruding tip. In general, glue does not come out of the extruding tip unless the trigger is being squeezed at which time the glue stick is forced forward and puts pressure against the extruding tip. The high temperature of the extruding tip causes the glue stick to melt and the pressure from the trigger pushing the glue stick forward causes some glue to be extruded at the front of the hot-melt glue gun. When the trigger is released, pressure is relieved and the glue stops flowing. The hand grip provides a comfortable way for the operator to hold the glue gun, aim the extruding tip, and squeeze the trigger to apply glue.
The hot-melt glue sticks are generally cylindrical in nature and have ends with planar surfaces which are perpendicular to the side of the glue stick. The planar surface and the perpendicular orientation may allow a second glue stick to be used to push a first glue stick though the glue gun.
In use, a first glue stick is pushed into the operator end of the barrel and manually pushed forward until it contacts the ratcheting mechanism of the glue gun. At that point, repeatedly pulling the trigger will move the glue stick forward until it contacts the heated extruding tip. Further pulling of the trigger will cause hot glue to extrude from the front of the gun. At some point, the first glue stick will have moved forward so that the non-leading end of the glue stick is no longer in contact with the ratcheting mechanism and the first glue stick will not be able to move any farther forward nor will the hot-melt glue gun be able to extrude more hot glue. In this case, a second hot-melt glue stick is inserted into the operator end of the barrel and manually pushed forward until it touches the ratcheting mechanism. Then, repeatedly pulling the trigger will move the second hot-melt glue stick forward until it contacts the back end of the first glue stick. Subsequent pulling of the trigger will move the second glue stick forward, pushing the remainder of the first glue stick into the extruding tip until such time as the first glue stick has been completely consumed and the second glue stick begins to be extruded. Eventually, the second glue stick will move forward and will no longer contact the ratcheting mechanism; then a third glue stick will need to be inserted. The planar, perpendicular surface of the hot-melt glue sticks facilitate pushing of one glue stick against another without causing the glue sticks to try to push past each other.